Graduation
by heyits.reagan
Summary: Mark Walker isn't scared of anything. Except, maybe, his future.


I believe everyone goes through this during their last two years of high school. So, here's Mark Walker worrying about life after graduation.

* * *

"Dude, I can't believe you're graduating tomorrow," Ryan said with a chuckle.

"I know." Mark stared at the college letters scattered across the kitchen table. "I still have no idea where I'm going in the fall."

"Don't worry, you have plenty of time to figure it out."

"I don't really. This summer's gonna fly past. I'm gonna be in college in a few months."

Ryan chewed on his lip. "Are you nervous?"

Mark swallowed. He grabbed an envelope and read over the name. It was a school he'd never heard of offering him a full ride for football. Another wanted him to play on their basketball team. An engineering school wanted him for being the best student in shop class. He rubbed the back of his neck.

"I'm terrified."

Ryan frowned. He'd never once in his life heard his brother admit to being scared. Ryan leaned back in his chair. "Why?"

Mark looked at him. "I'm about to be thrown into a world by myself. I have to move away from home and learn to fend for myself. You really don't think that's scary?"

Ryan had faced a lot of scary in the past two years, but he'd always faced them with a team. He nodded slowly. "Yeah, it kinda does."

"Not to mention I'll probably never seen most of my friends again. Classes split after graduation and people leave. I've always been surrounded by the same people. What am I gonna do without them?"

Being a sophomore, Ryan never considered any of this. He never considered what it'd be like to go to school without Harris and Spyder by his side. He never tried to imagine finishing school for the day and coming home to a roommate instead of his mom and brother.

"You're great at making friends, so you'll be fine."

Mark tossed the envelope back in the stack. "I wish I could go back to freshman year and just stay there. I would never have to worry about life after high school, never have to think about leaving home and my friends. I could just stay put and not have to worry about responsibilities and jobs."

This was a weird thing to see. Ryan had never witnessed Mark look so nervous about something other than Mech-X4. Mark clenched his jaw.

"What if I can't make it on my own? What if I never figure out what I want to do with my life?"

"You will; you're good at figuring stuff out."

"I don't think I'm ready. I _love_ high school; I never want it to end."

"But it has to," Ryan sighed. "Everything does eventually."

Mark nodded. There was a moment of silence passed between the two. Mark whispered, mostly to himself but Ryan still heard, "I'm graduating high school tomorrow."

It didn't sound real to him. His last football game didn't seem real, either. It wasn't until his teammates were crushing him in a group hug did he finally realize that he would never play with them again. His basketball game was the same way, and it didn't help that they lost. There were tears and ugly cries and heavy emotion at both. His dad squeezed his bones and his mom couldn't help but tear up as she kissed his cheek. Ryan didn't show much emotion (because he's a sophomore and sophomores don't do that) besides hugging Mark after each game and telling him what a great job he did.

Ordering his cap and gown didn't register in his brain. Going to the Senior Breakfast felt like nothing more than an outing with his friends. College visits were just another trip to a school his friends dreamed of attending, but actually going was lightyears away. The senior trip was an outrageously bundle of bad decisions and great stories. Cleaning out his locker was just a task to do at the end of every school year. Graduation practice was just a dream, a boring dream that they had to rehearse three times.

How was this real? How was he old enough to live on his own, leave home, make his own decisions? How was he choosing from a list of schools all at least two hours away from his family? How was he walking across a stage the next day and being handed his _high school diploma_? How did he go from a kid learning to ride a bike to a man saying hello to his new life?

"I'm gonna miss you," Ryan admitted quietly. Mark looked at him. "I guess if there's another monster attack, we'll have to find another cocky mechanic who thinks he's too good to be seen with us."

Mark snickered. "You'll never find someone as great as me."

"I know." Ryan played with his hands. "It's gonna be weird, being an only child. Who's gonna call me dingus just for the fun of it?"

"Hey, it's not like I'll be gone forever. I'll still come home on holidays and stuff, dingus."

Ryan smiled. "There it is."

The clock on the wall rang and began a chime of twelve bells. Mark pushed back his chair and jumped to his feet.

"Guess I better head to bed. Big day tomorrow and stuff."

"Yeah." Ryan followed him. "Good luck tomorrow."

Mark smirked. "Mark Walker doesn't need luck."

"Just for that, I hope you trip when you walk across stage."

With an eye roll, Mark gently shoved Ryan and headed upstairs. "Goodnight!" he called. Ryan watched him go, a tiny smile on his face.

"Goodnight, bro."

* * *

This was just a short little thing I thought of as I remembered my own fate come next school year. I'm going to assume Mark is a junior, which means he's in the same boat I am. As this year comes to an end, my class keeps bringing up the fact that we're going to be seniors and that absolutely _**terrifies**_ me. I'm scared of being on my own, I don't think I'm ready whatsoever.

What are your thoughts of life after high school? Leave a review and thank you for reading! :)


End file.
